The Ramp-Up Months That Decide Whether a New Solar Factory Can Deliver
By Jordan Wilson
This article was originally published in PV Tech.
New solar factories face elevated quality risks during ramp-up as new staff, equipment, and production pressure increase defects. Intertek CEA’s Jordan Wilson explains how early audits and production monitoring can help buyers manage these risks.
Higher rework rates and lower module production yield rates are more common during new factory ramp-up and capacity expansion, while established suppliers hold steady, Intertek CEA’s audits have revealed.
New solar factories run into trouble on a schedule. Not at the ribbon-cutting, and not in the sales pitch. The trouble shows up months into production, before workers have learned the line and new equipment has been dialled in.
Last year, more than 70% of the factories we audited scored in our bottom two tiers. None reached the top grade. A buyer signing a contract today has no way to see any of that yet.
Before the first panel ships
When a manufacturer says production starts next month, any buyer should ask three questions before signing a supply agreement.
Will the manufacturer accept a third-party factory audit before ramp-up starts? A “yes” signals they expect to pass. A “no” or a stall deserves much more attention. It often means the manufacturer isn’t ready for the ongoing scrutiny a new factory needs, whatever the reason.
What happens to this order if the line hits a snag? A manufacturer with a real answer — another facility, another supplier lined up — has thought through its own risk. A manufacturer without one has no real plan for it.
Who trains the people running the line, and how? A visit to the factory floor answers this better than a slide deck ever will.
The answers to those three questions predict more about ramp-up than the rest of the pitch combined.
Read the full article here.
Jordan Wilson is director of business development, Intertek CEA.
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